Safety-match-holder



Feb. 4, 1958 w. w. STEGNER SAFETY -MATCI-I-HOLDER Filed Nov. 7, 1955 FIG. 2.

[[lllllll l% FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

Unite Sttes Patent SAFETY-MAT C H-HOLDER Wencel William Stegner, Milwaukee, Wis. Application November 7, 1955, Serial No. 545,314

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) This invention relates to safety match holders and more particularly to an extended metallic match holding means for grasping and holding a wooden match at a predetermined distance from the hand of the user during match ignition and use.

Heretofore, the lighting of match fired equipment by an operator holding the end of a wooden match involved the danger of burning the fingers or hand due to the particular position the match had to be held during use. When igniting pilot lights or gas or vapor burning devices such as gas stove ovens, gas space heaters, oil burners, furnaces, gasoline lanterns, kerosene fired equipment, camp stoves, blow torches, gas side arm water heaters, plumbers soldering furnaces, commercial gas fired ovens, etc. the danger always exists of a back flash. The blast or back flash usually occurs when the ignited match is not applied in the immediate area of the ignitable gas or vapor. The accumulating gas or vapor then ignites with a blast or flash which might encircle the hand holding the match.

In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved safety match holder is provided which comprises a metallic elongated member having a finger gripping ring mounted at one end thereof with the plane of the periphery of the ring lying in the same plane as the metallic member and a wooden match encompassing and holding coil mounted on the other end of the metallic member. The coil has an opening extended therethrough of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of a wooden match. The longitudinal axis of the opening in the coil is parallel with but spaced from the longitudinal axis of the metallic elongated member.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a new and improved match holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved safety match holder in which a wooden match may be easily inserted and ejected from the match holder.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new match holder in which the ignitable match is held at a distance from the hand of the user.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the safety match holder embodying the invention and illustrating in dotted lines a match holder grasping position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with a match in dotted lines being used to eject a burned match also shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a left end view of the structure shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a right end view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, illustrate a safety match holder 5 comprising an elongated metallic member 6 having mounted at one end thereof a finger ice grasping handle, holder or ring-7 the periphery of which lies-inthe same plane as the plane-of the elongated mem her 6. At the other end of member 6 is formed a coil 8- comprising a plurality of turns of member 6 and defining an opening extending through the coil having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the common wooden shank kitchen match. As shown in the drawingthe match holder 5 maybe formed of tempered steel wire of an inchin diameter or larger.- This wire ofa given length is looped at one" end toform a ring 7 lying in the same plane as member 6 and forming a finger grasping holder and coiled at the other end to form the match holding coil-8. The turns of coil 8: are formed to lie in planes extending substantially transversely to the plane of member 6 and ring 7. Member 6 is suitably bent at 9 to form substantially aright angle so that the axis of coil 8 extends substantially parallel with but spaced from the axis of member 6. In order to make it easy to eject a burned match from the outer opening '11 of coil 8 the longitudinal axis of coil; 8' and the inner opening l0 therein is spaced'from the plane within which member 6 and ring 7 extend. This'fea-ture is more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It is within the scope of this invention to wind coil 8 so as to extend either to the right or to the left of the longitudinal axis of member 6 when looking at the match holder 5 from the coil end. Further, the plurality of turns of member 6 forming coil 8 may be resilient or firmly arranged depending on the material used for forming the match holder.

Although the length of this holder is optional an overall length of 10% inches has been found to be satisfactory for most uses. The ring 7 may be used for hanging the unit near the device to be periodically ignited. The match holder has been disclosed as being formed of tempered steel wire but may be formed of any other suitable material such as chromium or nickel materials or alloys. The holders may be painted or colored to fit their use or surroundings.

From the drawing it is readily noted that the match holder is loaded by inserting a match into the front opening 11 of coil 8 and the match is struck in the usual manner for igniting purposes. In view of the length of the holder the user will be a predetermined distance from any blast or back flash that might occur during lighting of gas or vapor fired devices. After the match has burned and served its useful purpose the burned out stick is ejected or expelled from the holder by inserting a match stick into the rear end or inner opening 10 of coil 8 and pushing out the stick from the outer or front opening as shown in Fig. 2. This feature of the holder eliminates removal of the burned out stub with the fingers.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed an desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A match holder comprising in combination an elongated metallic member, ring means mounted at one end of said member, the periphery of said ring lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of said member, and coil means mounted at the other end of said memher, said coil means having an opening therein extending therethrough for encompassing and holding a match, said opening having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel with but spaced from the longitudinal axis of said member.

2. A match holder comprising in combination an elongated metallic wire member, ring means formed from said member at one end thereof, the periphery of said ring lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of said member, and coil means comprising a plurality of turns formed from the other end of said member, the turns of said coil extending in planes arranged transversely to the plane formed by said member and said ring means, said coil means having an opening extending therethrough for encompassing and holding a match, said opening having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel with but spaced from the longitudinal axis of said member.

3. A match holder comprising in combination an elongated metallic wire member, ring means formed from said member at one end thereof, the periphery of said ring lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of said member, and coil means comprising a plurality of turns of said member formed from the other end of said member, the turns of said coil extending in planes arranged transversely to the plane formed by said member and said ring means, said coil means having an opening extending therethrough for encompassing and holding a match, said opening having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel with but spaced from the longitudinal axis of said member, the cross sectional area of said opening being spaced from the plane within which said member and said ring means extends.

4. A match holder comprising in combination an elongated metallic wire member, ring means formed from said member at one end thereof, and coil means comprising a plurality of turns of said member formed from the other end of said member, the turns of said coil extending in planes arranged transversely to the plane formed by said member and said ring means, said coil means having an opening extending therethrough for encompassing and holding a match, said opening having a longtudinal axis extending substantially parallel with but spaced from the longitudinal axis of said member, the cross sectional area of said opening being outside of the plane within which said member and said ring means extends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,832,5361 Dunn Nov. 17, 1931 2,141,223 Pistorius Dec. 27, 1938 2,374,582 Caldarelli Apr. 24, 1945 2,601,455 Porter June 24, 1952 

